Germany in Prophecy

Most people have ignored the fact that Herbert W. Armstrong warned the world that Germany would rise again. Only a very few listened.

Mr. Armstrong said German industry and the German willpower and determination to work, produce and organize were the very heart and lifeblood of all Europe. He said the prostrate body of Europe could not come back without the leadership of a revived and vigorous Germany.

The world is witnessing history repeat itself one more time. Soon it will all be over. Only the returning Jesus Christ will be able to put a stop to the carnage.

The book of Nahum is an end-time prophecy about Germany. Nahum 3:16-17 talk about this illusive power. “Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away. Thy crowned are as the locusts [Churchill called the Germans and their military machine ‘the locusts’], and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.”

After World War ii, the Nazis went underground and disappeared like grasshoppers in wintertime. Suddenly, they were gone. But just as suddenly, they have burst back on the world scene. That’s exactly the way God foretold it would happen in this end time.

God’s Word is true! That is why Mr. Armstrong could preach with absolute authority about the certainty and terrible consequences of Germany rising again—because the Bible says so.

Fierceness in Germany

Let’s examine some of the prophecies that formed the foundation of Mr. Armstrong’s startlingly accurate predictions about Germany in the end time. God is raising up the Germans to correct an evil Israel, comprised of nations who have had a history with God. They have failed God. Now God is going to punish them for this most heinous of all sins.

In Habakkuk 1:6, God says, “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation ….” The Chaldeans are an ancient people of Babylon. Ancient Babylon and the Chaldeans have passed from the world scene. But the old Babylonian religion remains.

“Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate” (Isaiah 47:1). Who is Babylon today? Which religion in this world has a throne today?

“Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms. I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke” (verses 5-6). A woman or “lady” in Bible prophecy refers to a church. As described in Chapter 3, a great false church either dominates or heavily influences the seven resurrections of the “Holy” Roman Empire (Revelation 17:5-6). This empire is now forming in Europe for the seventh and final time. Verse 12 says it will be a 10-nation European combine. And Germany, ancient Assyria, will be the dominant player in this Euroforce.

God describes this German-led war machine as “bitter and hasty” in Habakkuk 1—a very good description. It is full of bitterness, complete with lightning-fast blitzkrieg warfare. God says it is a “nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs” (Habakkuk 1:6). God says He is going to “raise up the Chaldeans.” Everything will revolve around Germany. The other countries are just along for the ride.

God gives us more understanding of these fierce, warlike people in verse 7: “They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.” The Jerusalem Bible renders this verse, “A people feared and dreaded, from their might proceeds their right, their greatness.” If you know anything about history, you know which people God is referring to. The German people are warriors whose might gives them the right to do anything they want, anytime they want.

Verse 11: “Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.“ The mind of this man who leads this political beast will change because his god, Satan, is going to heavily influence him, if not possess him. The power of Satan will be behind a revived and terrifying Nazi Germany!

One of the greatest miracles this world has produced in our time is the resurrection of Germany: the rise of Germany from rubble to the greatest power in Europe—and soon to be the greatest power in the world! It is mind-boggling.

The Beast Power

In Revelation 17:1-3, the angel says to John, “Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. … and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” God says a wondrous beast shall arise that will impact all inhabitants of the Earth.

Continuing in verse 7: “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.” God revealed to Mr. Armstrong, through these verses in Revelation 17 and other scriptures, that a great political beast is rising in Europe that will be joined by a great European religious beast in an unholy alliance to conquer the world. Religion is going to emotionally stir the Europeans. And then a megalomaniac will come on the scene to stir up the people as only someone like Hitler could.

Verse 8 says, “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder … when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”

The word translated “bottomless pit” or abyss in verse 8 actually means underground. That’s where the Nazis have been since before the end of World War ii.

The so-called Holy Roman Empire is going to rise to power one final time. Verses 9-12 say, “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen and one is”—that’s when Mr. Armstrong came on the scene and began to understand all of these prophecies—“and the other is not yet come”—but it is rising now—“and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.”

This unholy union won’t last long, but “[t]hese have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (verse 13). Their entire existence will revolve around doing what Satan commands them to do. And it will be dreadful! “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

In Revelation 18:3, God tells us more about this great satanic system called Babylon. “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”

And this great religious power—this woman on the beast—what will she do with her power? Verses 12 and 13 say she will make merchandise of “slaves, and souls of men.”

In Isaiah 10:5, God says, “O Assyrian [the modern Germans], the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.” Notice God talks about the Assyrian, not the 10 nations. Just the one powerful nation. It is the Germans who are the big threat. God is using them for a special purpose.

God says, “I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets” (verse 6). God says the Germans are a tool in His hands. They tread humans down “like the mire of the streets.”

Verse 7: “Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so ….” The soon-coming leader of the German-led beast power will not think he would ever destroy or cut off nations. But the rest of the verse confirms he will do just that: “… but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.” As it says in Habakkuk 1:11, his mind will change.

Many nations have been destroyed by the power of the Germans. Remember Leonard Cottrell’s statement: “In all the annals of human conquest, it is difficult to find any people more dedicated to bloodshed and slaughter than the Assyrians. Their ferocity and cruelty have few parallels save in modern times”—meaning Germany.

The greatest war machine in all of history was Assyria. The Assyrians were great conquerors. They had superior weapons and superior organization. And they are back on the world scene today!

Germany in Prophecy

By the time Mr. Armstrong came on the scene, much of Daniel’s prophecy had become history. However, there is a crucial part of this prophecy yet unfulfilled—which will happen soon!

In Daniel 8:23, God says, “And in the latter time of their kingdom”—an end-time Roman Empire—“when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” This is the political beast that is about to rise up and astound the world!

For a while, Germany and the European Union will experience a great burst of economic growth as a benefit of their political union. Then this colossal superstate, with its great military power, will turn on Israel. God says it’s going to happen.

Continuing in verse 24: “And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power ….” There are nine other nations in the beast alliance besides Germany, but the real power behind the beast is Satan (Revelation 13:4)—that’s what “not by his own power” means. There will be 10 nations or groups of nations, and this German leader, a “king of fierce countenance,” will control them all.

Daniel 8:24 continues, “[A]nd he shall destroy wonderfully ….” That means nuclear destruction! Germany is going to obtain nuclear missiles and bombs and a mighty army. It will “destroy wonderfully” millions and millions of people!

Whole cities will be laid waste. Yet God promises protection to His faithful people. We are going to need protection. What will happen to those who scoff at God’s protection? Verse 24 reveals their fate: “[H]e shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.”

Verse 25 describes the fate of mankind at the hands of this “king of fierce countenance”: “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many ….” Or as the New English Bible translates that phrase, “he shall conjure up great plans and, when they least expect it, work havoc on many.” Through masterful, satanic deceit, this beast power will destroy and wreak havoc on millions!

Worst of the Heathen

Why does God allow this terrible beast power to rise and destroy? Ezekiel 7 tells us God allows it to punish His people. Read verses 2-3.

Why must God do this? Verse 23: “Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.” What is this about? Read your newspaper headlines. This epidemic of violence is in the United States most of all. The cities are full of violence. God is going to punish the modern-day Israelites because our lands are full of violence and our nations still will not turn to God.

This is what God will do: “Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled” (verse 24). When the “worst of the heathen” attain power, they do what they have always done. Only this time, God says they’re going to wreak worse havoc, death and destruction than has ever occurred in man’s history (Ezekiel 5:9).

The Germans have many wonderful characteristics. But when Satan leads them into war, they become brutal!

We need to be reminded of how horrible man can be toward his fellow man. There is probably no greater example of inhumanity than German atrocities in World War ii. But how much have we forgotten? Have we completely shut it out of our minds? Do we think it won’t happen again? God says it’s going to happen far worse than ever before.

We need to remind ourselves of what happened in the German death camps during those ugly times of modern “civilization.” The phrase “worst of the heathen” applies to Germany today.

Crisis at the End

Let’s look at a prophecy yet to be fulfilled that shows that events we see developing today are leading to the crisis at the end of this age. “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south [a Middle Eastern power] push at him: and the king of the north [the German-led European Union] shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over” (Daniel 11:40). The Germans are going to take control of the Middle East.

Verse 41: “He [the king of the north] shall enter also into the glorious land [Jerusalem and the Promised Land], and many countries shall be overthrown ….”

Events in the Middle East are leading to seriously escalating problems. They will trigger World War iii. The Bible says so. The king of the north is almost in place for this global tragedy. The king of the south is virtually there as well—and it has the oil. It’s just not fully aware yet of how much power that oil gives it over Europe.

Germany has virtually no oil and is waiting for an opportunity to take control of the Middle East. It has planned this for years. The need for oil was the trigger for Japan to attack Pearl Harbor and launch World War ii in the Pacific. That same trigger could ignite the clash between the king of the north and the king of the south.

The ambition to control Jerusalem could also lead to war. Both the Catholics and Muslims desperately want Jerusalem.

Punishment and Salvation

But the Assyrians are going to be humbled. God is going to punish Assyria, just like He will punish Israel and His Church. All these end-time prophecies show the same end result for Germany: destruction!

Germany’s terrible fate is described in Isaiah 13:17-19. God will crush the German war machine by sending Asiatic hordes against it!

In Isaiah 10:12-13, God says, “Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom ….” The ego of the Germans will lead them to their own destruction. Isn’t it amazing how humans always want to take credit for what God has done?

In Nahum 3:18-19, God says, “Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them. There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit [news] of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?” History proves that the wickedness of the Germans has afflicted the world continually.

Daniel 8:25 tells us the final outcome of the beast power at the time of the glorious return of Christ: “[H]e [the beast power] shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” Jesus Christ is going to break them without using physical hands—this is supernatural intervention by God!

This arrogant beast power is going to fight against Jesus Christ and will be crushed and destroyed! The good news is that Jesus Christ is about ready to return to this Earth in all power and glory! He is going to smash that European combine that is rising up before our eyes in great strength.

Yes, thankfully, there is good news. When the glorified Jesus Christ returns, “[t]hese [allies of the beast] shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings …” (Revelation 17:14). In the end, God will restore peace to mankind (Zechariah 10:6, 10-11).

God is going to bring Germany and the Holy Roman Empire down after that ancient war machine has brought the world down. Then God raises it all back up again—His way—with His government, His law and His righteousness. The Germans are an exceptionally talented people who will be a very great people in the World Tomorrow. God just needs to channel that talent in the right direction. Then they will serve God with the same zeal they have unknowingly served Satan all these years. All will be to the glory of God the Father.

What Can We Do?

It’s obvious that Satan is taking advantage of the hatred smoldering in Europe against the United States and England. He is going to stir all that hatred into a nuclear holocaust—a flaming fire that we can hardly imagine. We need to be prepared for it.

Zephaniah 2:1-3 say, “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired [God’s faithful people]; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” God lets His people know that if they are loyal to what they have learned from Him, they can be hidden from the horrors that are soon to come upon this Earth!

What is the key to being protected? We must seek God before the Tribulation strikes. That is the formula for escape. Seek God now! “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

The history of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire reveals where the events in Europe today are leading. More importantly, God’s prophecies give us an advance preview of what is about to occur in Europe and how it will affect the whole world. What can you do before it is too late? Seek God while He may be found.

Have We Forgotten?

The following are graphic and lamentable excerpts from Shoah, An Oral History of the Holocaust, by Claude Lanzmann.

When we first opened the graves, we couldn’t help it, we all burst out sobbing, but the Germans almost beat us to death. We had to work at a killing pace for two days, beaten all the time, and with no tools. The Germans even forbade us to use the words “corpse” or “victim.” The dead were blocks of wood, dung, with absolutely no importance. Anyone who said “corpse” or “victim” was beaten. The Germans made us refer to the bodies as Figuren, that is, as puppets, as dolls, or as Schmattes, which means “rags.”

The head of the Vilna Gestapo told us there are 90,000 people lying there and absolutely no trace must be left of them ….

At that time we started working in that place that they called Treblinka. Still I couldn’t believe what had happened over there on the other side of the gate, where the people went in, everything disappeared, and everything got quiet. But in a minute we find out, when we start to ask the people who worked here before us what had happened to the others, they said: “Well, what do you mean, what happened? Don’t you know that? They’re all gassed, all killed.” It was impossible to say anything—we were just like stones. We couldn’t ask what had happened to the wife, to the kid. “What do you mean—wife, kid? Nobody is anymore!” …

So that while 5,000 Jews arrived in Treblinka, 3,000 were dead in the cars. They had slashed their wrists or just died. The ones we unloaded were half dead and half mad. In the other trains from Kielce [Poland] and elsewhere, at least half were dead. We stacked them, here, here and here. Thousands of people piled one on top of another on the ramp. Stacked like wood. In addition, other Jews still alive, waited there for two days: The small gas chambers could no longer handle the load. They functioned day and night in that period.

More people kept coming, always more, whom we hadn’t the facilities to kill. The brass was in a rush to clean out the Warsaw ghetto. The gas chambers couldn’t handle the load. The small gas chambers. The Jews had to wait their turn for a day, two days, three days. They foresaw what was coming. They may not have been certain, but many knew. There were Jewish women who slashed their daughters’ wrists at night, then cut their own. Others poisoned themselves ….

The corpses lying there were cleared away. There was the period of the old gas chambers. Because there were so many dead that they couldn’t be gotten rid of, the bodies piled up around the gas chambers and stayed there for days. Under this pile of bodies was a cesspool three inches deep, full of blood and worms and dung. No one wanted to clean it out. The Jews preferred to be shot rather than work there.